How I Stopped Worrying and Learned To Love Standard Plusses

[AllisterH]

While it was a ring to rule the world, it, like many magic items, had lesser powers. Its invisibility was perfectly controllable- put on, take off, Miyagi-san.

If JRRT had written his story as if this particular rule applied, neither Frodo nor Bilbo would have been able to use the Invisibility effect at all.

Non-Invisible Hobbits = Dead Hobbits in a short, short story.

I didn't actually use the One Ring as an example, but Gandalf's ring of power/fire. Its mentioned in the Simarillion that it and the other lesser power rings only function if you were well, powerful enough.

Basically, no living Man (maybe Aragorn....) of the post-Lotr era could use Gandalf's ring yet in ages past, Random Joe Blow soldier of Man would've been able to but of course said random soldier probably could solo a Nazgul by himself.

 

[ruleslawyer]

While it was a ring to rule the world, it, like many magic items, had lesser powers. Its invisibility was perfectly controllable- put on, take off, Miyagi-san.

If JRRT had written his story as if this particular rule applied, neither Frodo nor Bilbo would have been able to use the Invisibility effect at all.

Non-Invisible Hobbits = Dead Hobbits in a short, short story.

Well, I think that curses on rings probably function just fine for characters of any level... and the One Ring's invisibility is actually part of its curse (the invisibility is a by-product of partially transferring the wielder to the Shadow World, with the inevitable effect of corrupting the wielder into something like the Nazgul or, in the case of Gollum, something different).

 

[Majoru Oakheart]

So, no "One Stop Magic Shop"- what to replace it with? (snip)

This is pretty much the default for 3rd Edition. The MIC goes into detail about how there are no "magic item shops", but that when you purchase an item it is an abstraction of running around the city making contacts, asking around, meeting with people, and eventually finding someone who has what you want for the price listed in the book.

The gold piece limit of towns takes this into account and it's just assumed that if it's a big enough town SOMEONE will have what you are looking for, be it a peasant who has it as an old family heirloom, an ex-adventurer, the weapon shop, a traveling merchant or any number of other people.

There is some information in there as well about how long it takes to find an item in this fashion.

 

[Geron Raveneye]

Man, it is funny to see how EVERY edition of D&D will always find something to reduce back to Tolkien, whether the game fits the stories or not. Be it trying to stat out Gandalf as a magic-user, or be it now trying to compare a weird new rule to the Rings of Power. Sometimes I wonder if Prof. Tolkien rotates in his grave every time his work is mentioned in context with D&D. If so, he should be equipped with a dynamo, he'd produce enough electricity to light up London.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Man, it is funny to see how EVERY edition of D&D will always find something to reduce back to Tolkien, whether the game fits the stories or not. Be it trying to stat out Gandalf as a magic-user, or be it now trying to compare a weird new rule to the Rings of Power. Sometimes I wonder if Prof. Tolkien rotates in his grave every time his work is mentioned in context with D&D. If so, he should be equipped with a dynamo, he'd produce enough electricity to light up London.

If a system produces/allows anything resembling something that happens in LotR, it is good.
And if it doesn't allow something specific happening in LotR, it's automatically bad.
That's the truth, and don't even try to deny it.

I think one advantage of using Tolkien is that he used a lot of different sources, and next to everyone playing D&D is familiar with LotR to some degree.
Whether these comparisons really mean something is another matter...

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

4E is about POL. I would imagine that in POL campaigns most people are just struggling to survive not opening magic shops.

For Points of Light, it's not about economics, it's about relative security and authority. For examples, think Conan, or the American West. Much of LotR is like that, too. There's very little authority around that's able to solve problems, so people have to arrange for solutions themselves. Hence, adventurers.

The PoL setting template does NOT require that people are struggling hand-to-mouth; many people can be, just as in the real world, but there is a reasonable amount of wealth to be had.

Magic item trade is still a possibility in a PoL-ish setting. IIRC, at least one Conan plot included hijacked delivery of artifacts.

Brad

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Well, I think that curses on rings probably function just fine for characters of any level... and the One Ring's invisibility is actually part of its curse (the invisibility is a by-product of partially transferring the wielder to the Shadow World, with the inevitable effect of corrupting the wielder into something like the Nazgul or, in the case of Gollum, something different).

Examined that way, you have a flawless cursed magic ring detector- if you're not 11th level and the ring does something magical for you, say your prayers 'cause you're in for a world of hurt.

This is pretty much the default for 3rd Edition.

The MIC is late to the party. While I have no problem with its abstraction of commerce involving magic items, I'd wager that the majority of DMs have a set rule that differs from its perspective, and either have magic shops or none at all.

Besides, it overlooks the role of organized crime in magic weapon distribution. While there may not be a Thieve's Guild in a town of 200 people, any major city would have one, and it would probably be well stocked. Even assuming that civilization has collapsed, the ruins of a guildhall would be a high-opportunity target for finding the good stuff.

 

[rkanodia]

Examined that way, you have a flawless cursed magic ring detector- if you're not 11th level and the ring does something magical for you, say your prayers 'cause you're in for a world of hurt.

Or it could be an artifact. The article even specifically mentions this.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

And you're still in a world of hurt...

"Hey guys- that noob over there has a working magic ring! That means its either cursed or an artifact. Who wants to join me in giving him the nickname 'Nine-fingers?'"

 

[vulcan_idic]

Or it could be an artifact. The article even specifically mentions this.

As my father always says as he chuckles, "Don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up!"